Modern electronic circuits often generate a substantial amount of heat, due to their high density and small size. Further, many electronic devices have a unified case structure that, in the absence of appropriate vents, trap heat around the internal components. For example, all-in-one computing (AIO) computing systems have a unified case that includes a monitor, power supply, mother board, and any drives used to implement a standard desktop computer system.
As platform power in these devices and system continues to increase while form factors, e.g., thickness, continue to decrease, it will become increasingly difficult to cool platforms of the future. For example, current AIO platforms use substantial numbers of vents to allow cooling air to flow in and over the components. However, the vents also allow dust to flow into the case, lowering the effectiveness of cooling over time. Further, the vents provide no protection from the intrusion of water, dust, or other contaminants into the system.